


how long i wondered, could this thing last

by kyouyaed



Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, and Sam was my go-to guy for this, because i wanted Teddy to get kissed so much that his knees went weak, this is just messy fluffy kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 12:09:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9180820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyouyaed/pseuds/kyouyaed
Summary: Teddy confesses some of his insecurities about being able to fight to Sam, and Sam's help doesn't quite go the way either of them expected.





	

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from "A Foggy Day" by Fred Astaire
> 
> shout out to Erin for supporting this! and shout out to Tad for letting me bounce ideas off of him at fuck all in the morning. ilysm, both of you! honestly without either of them, a lot of my writing probably wouldn't come to fruition? so big big thanks to them <3
> 
> this came to be because i noticed in Red's intro scene, Teddy was the only one to not have his gun at the ready and then it just derailed in my head from there. i love rarepairs... my soul is made up of rarepairs, so obvs this had to be one. i actually googled how to properly stand when you shoot a pistol for this so i believe the info is accurate.
> 
> to no surprise, this fic is unedited. i will edit this when i can! sorry for this long intro note! now, please, enjoy and let me know what you think!

The night was clear, and Sam leaned up against one of the support pillars of the saloon to observe the stars. The night was clear, not a cloud in the sky, and the air was a cool contrast to the heat earlier. Chatter spilled out of the saloon behind him and Sam smiled. Despite their possible suicide mission, he was glad his merry band of misfits felt comfortable enough with each other to let loose and make some positive memories.

“You alright there, Mr. Chisolm?” Sam tensed and looked over his shoulder, smiling at Teddy Q who stood uncertainly a few feet behind him. Sam nodded.

“Fine as can be,” Sam told him, looking back up at the sparkling stars above them. A few seconds passed before Teddy tentatively closed the distance between himself and Sam, stopping next to him. Their arms brushed and Teddy tilted his head back as well. “How about you, Teddy? You doin' alright?” Teddy shrugged, and Sam turned his head away from the sky and set his gaze on Teddy.

Teddy answered nervously, “I'm worried, sir.” He didn't look at Sam as he spoke and he continued in that same nervous, shaking voice. “I can't shoot worth a damn. Mr. Faraday was right to call me on it last night.” His fingers brushed his gun holster and he let out a trembling breath. “I'm worried I won't be any goddamn help.”

Sam nodded, even though Teddy couldn't see, and said, “Is that all?” His lips twitched up into a smirk when Teddy whipped his head down to fix him with a bemused glare. “I can give you some pointers, Teddy.”

“No,” Teddy said as soon as the words were out of Sam's mouth. “I learned my lesson from Mr. Faraday. I'd rather wait until actual lessons start, thank you very much.” He cleared his throat loudly and averted his gaze when Sam fixed him with an unimpressed stare.

Teddy jumped when Sam stood upright, their arms pressing together briefly. Sam adjusted his hat and took a few steps backward and one to the side, coming to stop behind Teddy who tensed. “I ain't Faraday,” Sam said lowly, putting one hand on Teddy's shoulder and the other at his waist. “Adjust your stance, Teddy.” His voice was firm, leaving no room for arguments, and Teddy slumped and allowed Sam to position his hips and shoulders, though he tensed again when Sam slid one leg in between his and tapped the insides of his feet.

“Mr. Chisolm...?” Teddy asked slowly, and Sam's quiet laugh ghosted over Teddy's neck.

“Your legs,” Sam explained, “need to be a little more than shoulders width apart.” A small smile played about his lips when Teddy exhaled a shaky breath and shifted his feet apart. When Sam was satisfied with his position, he reached down and was quick to pull out Teddy's gun. “Now hold your gun steady,” Sam said, dangling the gun by a single finger until Teddy scooped it up in his hand. “Good. Bend your knees just so.” Sam smoothed his hands down Teddy's sides, both coming to stop at his hips to encourage Teddy to bend his knees just a bit. “And your shoulders, forward.” Sam's hands stayed at Teddy's hips and he pressed his chest flat against Teddy's back to lean them both forward. Sam settled his chin on Teddy's shoulder and murmured, “It's about balance.”

Teddy swallowed and asked, “A-and my arms, Mr. Chisolm?”

Sam's smile came back in full force, this time proud of Teddy instead of amused at his expense. Sam moved each of his hands to cover Teddy's and guided them carefully. He extended their right arms, Sam's fingers tight over Teddy's, his fingertips just brushing the revolver in hand. In the same motion, Sam placed both their left arms across Teddy's chest, locking their elbows tightly against Teddy's side. “This arm,” Sam murmured, squeezing Teddy's left hand for emphasis, “should cover your arms and lungs if you're shooting one handed. Better a bullet to the arm than a bullet into your chest.” Teddy's nod was tense and Sam continued by squeezing his right hand. “This one is your shootin' hand. Got that, Teddy?”

“Yes, Mr. Chisolm,” Teddy answered, voice breathless.

“You won't always have time to stand like this,” Sam said suddenly. “If you can't, just make sure to spread your feet and bend your knees as quick as you can.” Sam frowned for a moment and then said, “That's it.” He righted himself and slowly withdrew his hands and arms from Teddy's person, stepping back to give him space to right himself as well. Teddy was quick to holster his gun, although he missed the holster itself twice before the gun finally dropped in. Teddy fumbled with the snap and Sam sighed, taking pity on him by stepping back in and brushing Teddy's hand away to snap it shut himself. “Calm down, Teddy,” Sam whispered, letting out a startled laugh when Teddy took a small step forward and whirled around to face him, pressing his hands to Sam's chest to steady himself.

Sweat beaded along Teddy's forehead and Sam's eyes tracked a bead of sweat rolling down Teddy's temple and over his cheek. Another bead rolled down the side of his nose and over his lips and Sam's eyes tracked that one too, coming to stop at Teddy's mouth. His lips were parted and trembling and Sam met Teddy's eyes, wide and dilated. An amused smirk played at Sam's lips and he raised his eyebrows in question at Teddy.

“How can I calm down, Mr. Chisolm, when you're touchin' me like that?” Teddy asked in a rush, fingertips digging into Sam's chest. Teddy's eyes seemed desperate as they flickered between Sam's eyes and Sam's mouth that still bore that amused smirk. “Do you do these things on purpose, Mr. Chisolm?”

A laugh escaped Sam before he could stop himself. “I don't often give hands on assistance, if that's what you mean,” Sam said, and Teddy glared at him.

“You are toying with me, Mr. Chisolm, and I don't much appreciate it!” Teddy exclaimed, but he made no effort to step away from Sam. Sam laughed again and brought his left hand up to cup Teddy's cheek, thumb brushing over his bottom lip. “Sir,” Teddy breathed, surprised, “please don't toy with me any further.”

Sam stilled his thumb and nodded at Teddy's words. “I understand,” he replied, letting his thumb slide off of Teddy's lip. Before Teddy could say or do anything more, Sam kissed him. His right hand came up to cup Teddy's other cheek in hand and Teddy's fingers curled into fists around the cloth of Sam's shirt, pulling him closer. Sam's thumbs rushed over Teddy's cheeks and he reveled in the constant contrast of skin to facial hair and kissed Teddy harder. Teddy groaned against Sam and uncurled his fingers to slide one hand up around the back of Sam's neck, the other coming to rest loosely at Sam's shoulder.

A sharp laugh broke through their little bubble, and Sam was first to break the kiss, pressing their foreheads together as the laughter faded out and Vasquez shouted at Faraday for something or other.

“No one's kissed me like that before, sir,” Teddy murmured into the quiet. Sam smiled in spite of himself and replied,

“Now why do I find that hard to believe?”

Teddy scoffed. “I ain't exactly the most desired man here.”

Sam hummed thoughtfully in response. “I don't see why that is,” he said after a time, pressing a gentler kiss to Teddy's mouth that only lasted a few seconds before Sam pulled away, though Teddy followed until Sam had to release his grip on Teddy's face. “Patience,” Sam scolded, smiling. He slipped his hands down to grip Teddy's waist and he kissed Teddy again, both their eyes sliding shut.

The kiss started out slow, simply Teddy and Sam moving together leisurely. Sam was quick to change that, though, sucking Teddy's bottom lip into his mouth, earning a moan from him for his troubles. His lip was red and swollen by the time Sam stopped, Teddy's knees trembling, and Sam kissed him hard, tongue sweeping along the seam of his lips, licking his way into Teddy's all too willing mouth. They kissed long and slow, Teddy's knees trembling the longer Sam's tongue continued to twine with and move against his own.

With a startled moan, Teddy's knees gave out and Sam laughed in alarm, looping an arm around Teddy's waist to catch him and keep him upright.

“Mr. Chisolm,” Teddy murmured, dazed, and Sam hauled him up, giving him a quick kiss as he helped him regain his balance. “Don't... Um...” The redness of his cheeks deepened and Teddy swallowed. “Don't stop, okay?” Sam smirked and kissed him again, arm tight around his waist.

“My, my, my, my, my,” came an all-to familiar voice, then. Teddy made a sound, not quite a squeak but nothing dignified either, and he pulled away from Sam, eyes wide and wild. For his part, Sam blinked and cast his gaze skyward for a few long seconds, praying for God to grant him some patience. “My, my, my, my, m-”

“Goody,” Sam interrupted, dropping his head to look over his shoulder at Goodnight standing behind them, cigarette in hand and amusement practically rolling off of him.

“You _can_ hear me!” Goody teased, walking closer to Sam and Teddy. He peered over Sam's shoulder and grinned widely, his golden tooth silvered by the moonlight. “Good to know kissin' our young Mr. Teddy hasn't robbed you of your sense of hearing.”

With a glare, Sam asked, “What are you implyin', Goody?” He adjusted his grip on Teddy when Teddy shifted, but didn't look away from the still grinning Goody.

“Just that I wonder what causes you to get up to kissin' an' seducin' the gentleman caller of our lady employer is all,” Goody taunted, taking a drag on his cigarette. He exhaled the smoke off to the side and fixed Sam and Teddy with his grin again. Sam rolled his eyes at Goody's words and finally looked back to Teddy.

The man looked positively mortified, red having consumed his entire face and down his neck. His eyes darted just about everywhere but Sam and Goody, and his trembling had returned tenfold. Sam sighed. “Teddy,” he began, and Teddy looked up at him, startled, as though he had forgotten that they knew he was there.

“I-I am sorry, Mr. Chisolm,” stammered Teddy, and Sam threw Goody a glare before focusing back on Teddy.

“Nothing to apologize for, Teddy,” Sam soothed. “Go back inside.” Sam watched, expression a mix of annoyance and amusement, as Teddy staggered sideways, regained his footing, and darted off back into the saloon like a bat out of hell. The door slammed shut behind him, laughter rushing out in a loud burst from the other occupants of the saloon, and Sam fixed Goody with an unimpressed stare that Goody only grinned at.

“Lover boy is handsome,” Goody admitted, moving around to stand next to Sam. He gazed out over the town and Sam followed suit, taking in the quiet, the dark, the stillness, the calm before the storm. Goody took another drag on his cigarette and said on the exhale, “Let's hope you both survive to tell the tale, hm?”

Sam couldn't help the chuckle that rumbled out of his chest and he nodded, leaning up against the support beam of the saloon once again. “Rather him than me,” Sam said, and Goody clapped him on the shoulder.

“Rather both than none,” Goody challenged. He finished off the cigarette and flicked the butt out into the street. “Come back in, Sam. Have a drink. Might be the last good time we have for a while.” He slid his arm around Sam's shoulders with a clap and guided him away from the support beam and toward the door of the saloon.

“I was havin' a good time before you came outside,” Sam retorted, opening the door. He and Goody entered, Sam smirking and Goody laughing boisterously.

“Survive this,” Goody teased, making sure to keep his voice low now that there were people around to overhear, “and you and he can continue your good time!”

Sam laughed and dropped into the empty chair between Vasquez and Horne. Goody gave his shoulder a squeeze and made his way around the table to reclaim his spot between Billy and Red Harvest. He leaned in to whisper to Billy, and Sam only raised his eyebrows when Billy shot him an amused, if not surprised, glance.

“So, Sam,” started Faraday with a grin, “what were you up to?” He looked between Sam and Goody when Goody busted into laughter. “What?” Faraday demanded, and Vasquez laughed at the outraged look on his face. “What am I missin', dammit?”

Sam smirked and said, “Don't worry about it.” Faraday banged his hand on the table.

“Y'all keepin' secrets is mean!” Faraday whined, making sure to level each of them around the table with an offended glare. “Ugh! Maybe _I_ should go outside for some alone time!”

Sam shot Goody a warning look, but Goody ignored him and said, “Just don't get caught alone with Sam here!” His words brought along another round of laughter between himself and Billy, and Sam focused on looking disinterested when fixed with five curious stares. When the stares persisted, Sam crossed himself.

“Lord,” he said loudly, “grant me patience to deal with nosy men.” This brought on a round of laughter from everyone, and Sam settled in as Faraday boasted a loud prayer asking God for insight on secrets everyone was keeping from him, which set Horne off in telling him not to ask the Lord for unseemly things.

The pair argued back and forth and Sam shook his head, draping his arm over the back of his chair as he got comfortable. He glanced around the room, ignoring Goody and Billy's knowing gazes, and his eyes came to rest on Teddy, lurking by the front door of the saloon. He met Sam's gaze and touched his bottom lip. It must have been unintentional because he blushed and ducked back into the kitchen, out of sight, but far from out of Sam Chisolm's mind.

**Author's Note:**

> come suffer about these gotdamn cowboys with me [on tumblr](http://conspiracieys.tumblr.com/)


End file.
